Spring Trip from 21 May to 13 June 2013 (Part 1 - Shirvan NP, Talysh and Zuvand)

Text & Photos © M. Heiß

Despite this year’s spring trip did not focus on birds, as the interest of the tourist group was in plants and landscape, we had a plenty of good views on the local bird species.

The trip started in the capital Baku and we quickly headed south to the Shirvan National Park. Here, the typical steppe species such as Isabelline Wheatear, Roller, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Black Francolin were well visible along the roads. At the lake house White-winged and Whiskered Terns, several heron and duck species and Lesser Kestrels were numerous.

A Black Francolin hidden in the bushland near the entrance of the Shrivan NP

Display flight of an European Roller

Two Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters

Goitered Gazelle in the steppe

Purple Heron in flight

Whiskered Terns at the Flamingo Lake in Shirvan NP

We spent the next days in the Talysh Mountains, mainly in the forest zone. The bird species we could observe here is similar to the Central European forest avifauna with species such as Robin, Nuthatch, Great, Blue and Coal Tit and some woodpecker species.

Field camp in the forest zone

Female Chaffinch

Song Thrush

Coal Tit

The endemic Poelzami-Woodpecker

A Raccoon enjoys some mulberries

Unfortunately, we had bad weather conditions in the Zuvand upland and therefore we could not intensively explore this highly interesting region.

The famous rocks of Mistan in the Zuvand, but upcoming thunderstorms did not allow much birdwatching activity

Almond plantation

Garden Warbler

Riparian forest with some sunshine

 

Great views of a beautiful samamisicus-Redstart

'Nice to meet you!' welcomes a singing Common Rosefinch...

...which later impresses a female

Rock Bunting

The long awaited endemic Caspian Tit found during a tea time. It can be so easy!